1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to amusement devices that challenge a person's physical coordination and sense of timing. More particularly, the present invention is related to amusement devices that attach to the body and are manipulated without use of the hands or arms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When a person grasps or manipulates another object, it is almost always done with the hands. As such, it is a physiological necessity that people develop good hand/eye coordination and dexterity. The degree of coordination of the hands and arms is usually vastly superior to that of any other major muscle group in the body.
Since physical coordination of muscle groups other than the hands and arms is typically undeveloped, it can be somewhat amusing to attempt to complete otherwise simple tasks using these muscle groups. It is also amusing to watch a person attempt to complete simple tasks using a muscle group other than those contained in the arms and hands. It is for these reasons that the prior art is replete with amusement devices that attach to the body at different points and provide simple tests of coordination and timing. The most famous of such prior art devices is the Hula Hoop, which is spun around the waist. Other prior art amusement devices that attach to the waist and test coordination are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,124 to Voss, entitled Peg And Hoop Exercising Toy; U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,482 to Paolone, entitled Waist Mounted Gyration Rod Recreational Device; U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,622, entitled, Hip-Toss Ball Game; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,774 to Klotz, entitled Ball And Paddle Device.
In addition to the waist, amusement devices have been developed that attach to the head and legs. Prior art amusement devices that are worn on the leg are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,315 to Petrusek, entitled Skipping Device and U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,651 to Shure, entitled Bubble-Producing Skipping Toy.
Prior art amusement devices that are worn on the head are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,098,316 to McCarthy, entitled Child's Toy and U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,725 to Hing, entitled Head Attached Balancing Toy.
A problem associated will all such prior art amusement devices, is that each time a person plays with the amusement device, that person develops his/her coordination through practice. After a short time, it is no longer challenging to complete the coordination test embodied by the amusement device. When the amusement device loses its challenge, it no longer is very amusing to play or watch.
A need therefore exists in the art for an amusement device that can be attached to a part of the body other than the arms and hands, yet can be selectively varied to present a variety of different challenges to the user. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.